


Special Day

by TheDork2life



Series: SaboAce Week 2018 [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Comfort, Cute, Feel-good, Fluff, M/M, No Angst, One Shot, Open to Interpretation, Other, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Romance, SaboAceWeek, SaboAceWeek2018, Self-Hatred, Short One Shot, saboace - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-21
Packaged: 2019-04-05 11:32:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14043363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDork2life/pseuds/TheDork2life
Summary: SaboAceWeek Day 1: Hugs/CuddlesIt's Sabo's birthday, and little Ace sure wants to do something for him, no matter how small.(Relationship open for interpretation)





	Special Day

**Author's Note:**

> Well here's day 1! I was originally gonna post this on Tumblr, and then here later, but it was being a fuckmunch so I'm gonna just post it here and link it. It'll get the whole thing out of the way so oh well. 
> 
> Setting/Time: Canonverse; Brothers' Story (back 13 years from current time)

Today, unlike any other day, was going to be special, Ace had decided.

No, it wasn’t special because the sun filtered through the trees at just the right angle that morning. Nor because the air was just the right temperature and it felt so good when the breeze swept through his hair. Nor because the previous day they had got a huge stash for their own collection of pirate savings and had a feeling for more success. No, none of that, though it was still very appreciated and accounted for.

The day was oh so very special because it was Sabo’s birthday.

Now Ace wasn’t the type of person to really celebrate birthdays, especially because he hated his own quite a lot. It put a sort of distaste in his mouth, because why would the day you were born be so important? You just simply hit another year milestone, and for him, it was just another reminder of his own self-hatred and of his mother’s sacrifice too.

That all changed though, when he had found out about Sabo’s birthday.

Sabo was naturally and understandably hesitant to share that piece of information when it was brought up. He, like Ace, was not too fond of the day, although maybe didn’t hold in is as much disregard as the freckled boy did.

He felt it unimportant too, and to him it was a reminder of the day he was born into a family he didn’t even want nor asked for. Even if Ace didn’t know it yet.

But Ace, just this time around felt different and held a changed opinion on birthdays. At least for Sabo.

Sabo was Ace’s best friend, there was no doubt and no question to that. Ask the boy and he would answer without skipping a beat that Sabo was indeed his best friend, being indebted to him for relieving some self hatred. They planned so much together, pirated together, laughed together, and got angry at stupid little things only to find it funny five seconds later. And Ace, whether it was subconscious or not, cherished those moments, because it was small hope in the gaping darkness of doubt in his soul. A glimmer of light that said that not was all lost, you will do it.

For a while, Sabo was Ace’s purpose, a priority, a soothing (though sometimes infuriating) presence in his life. He had no qualms about it.

So, of course, Sabo’s birthday would be the perfect day way to show all that devotion. Ace owed him that much.

Problem was, Ace didn’t really know how to do it. He never really celebrated a person’s life like that, and certainly never gave whole gifts or gave anyone a physical representation of his gratitude.

He wouldn’t use his pirate savings on something like that, -he mused Sabo would probably get pissed at him too- he didn’t even know _what_ to get him, even if he knew the blonde quite well, and he was still 9 almost turning 10. Being a kid, he would most likely make irrational kid decisions. He might also get his assed kicked if maybe he tried to steal something alone in secret (to keep the gift a surprise) and got caught.

Ace reckoned Sabo wouldn’t be too big on material things in the first place. Yea sure they gathered all sorts of valuables and money etc, but that was for their pirate savings. Sabo never explicitly took interest in the objects they found unless it just looked neat and could do something neat. So, he managed to scratch one thing off the list.

So that left him with something handmade, doable but not recommended because he was not a craftsman nor artist, or a small gesture of affection or something.

For now, he settled on the latter.

First, he had to go get Sabo. Running all the way from Dandan’s shack to the grey terminal was a cinch, having long since memorized the path, but it was long nonetheless.

Just like usual, Sabo was scouting around casually around the grey terminal, probably waiting.

“Yo, Sabo!” Ace greeted once caught up with him, fond smile ready on his face and his pipe in hand.

“Oh, hey Ace! I was just looking around to see if maybe we’d hit another jackpot,” Sabo said, referencing the day before.

Ace nodded. “Yea, that was a good one yesterday, though that would be super lucky, let alone the fact it happened at all yesterday.”

“True. But here’s to hoping right?” Sabo smiled.

“Right.”

The day continued like any other one. Beating some nosy people up, digging through the heaps, getting on each other nerves, and having a relatively good time.

They would have snuck into the kingdom itself for lunch once again, but it was too risky and would probably have to wait again to do it. Plus, Sabo avoided the subject too and Ace just shrugged it off. They would have to settle for fish and crocodile again, which seemed to what it always boiled down to at the end of the day.

As night fell and the moon cast it’s scattered shadows on the grassland, the two boys sat around a fire talking about random things. The flames feeling safe and the flickering light danced in their eyes, burning like the passion deep in their hearts. It provided warmth against the chilly night winds, and a comfort that home couldn’t provide. A taste, and gander, at freedom, with how they momentarily forgot their predicaments lost in conversation.

They didn’t want to move, so even as the fire died down into a soft light and the gentle silence followed, they stayed put.

Ace took a glance towards Sabo, whose head was resting in his arms hugging his knees to his chest, eyes closed.

“Hey, uh Sabo…” Ace said quietly, though not a whisper.

Sabo stirred a bit, obviously on the brink of falling asleep or in a sleep like trance. He turned his head to look at Ace, though kept his head down.

“I just uh, want to say… happy birthday. You know, I missed it last year and I didn’t do much today, but I really do wish you a happy birthday. I uh, really enjoy… being with you. I-I guess.”

Sabo’s head snapped up at the mention of his birthday and was a little taken aback at Ace’s sudden timidness.

Ace was a flustered mess, not used to saying things like that, and cursed himself for stuttering. But, he did mean it all, and felt good for saying it, because it was _something_ and if he could have, he would have damn well done more.

He got a little nervous when Sabo didn’t respond for a second, but then the blonde cracked a big smile accompanied by flushed face.

“T-Thanks Ace. I didn’t expect that but I appreciate it,” he said with a grin.

The smile was contagious, so Ace did it too and it felt like the most genuine smile he’s ever done.

Of course, right after that, Sabo fell right asleep, a small smirk on his lips still on as his breathing steadied and slowed and his eyes fluttered closed. He was so peaceful and reserved like that, different from the sprawled out mess Ace sometimes found him in, and so the raven haired boy found himself inching closer.

And closer. And closer.

And closer, until finally he leaned his head against his friend’s shoulder, curled up in the same way, watching the fire extinguish itself. The small stream of smoke flew up into the sky, as his eyelids pulled down and became heavier and heavier, till all he saw was a cool black. He was left with nothing but the sensation of the warm body beside him and a feeling that maybe, it _will_ all be okay. Just like that.

 

* * *

 

 

When the morning light finally managed to wake Ace, he felt sort of weird and cramped. There was a weight and something pressed against him, it was warm, soft, and familiar.

And then he remembered, falling asleep on Sabo.

Despite himself, he felt quite embarrassed, especially since he knew him and Sabo were in a tangly mess together and he said such sappy things the night before. Sabo was going to ruin him, and it was all because of his stupid hope and trust. But, he couldn’t find it in him to complain for so long anyways.

It was nice, using Sabo as a makeshift pillow. So Ace reckoned, it wouldn’t hurt to stay for so much longer. Sabo would probably wake up soon himself.

And well, he did just that.

He nuzzled himself closer and smiled once again, what a happy birthday it truly was.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
